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Norges musikkhøgskole Norwegian Academy of Music Search

Impro­visa­tion in the stu­dio

  • Year of study: Two semesters, fall and spring
  • Final assessment: Take-home exam
  • Language of instruction: Norwegian and/or English
  • Prerequisites: Students must have taken MUSTEK22 or be able to document equivalent knowledge

Course description

Working in the studio will give the improvising musician an opportunity to learn the working methods of a composer – to support or to change intuitive choices, and to create music based on improvisation – and learn that improvisation can take entirely new directions than concert improvisation. The course also deals with how studio work can be a catalyst and inspiration for concert improvisation.

Course coordinator: Jazz, Improvised Music and Traditional Nordic Folk Music Department.


Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:

  • be able to use relevant tools for improvisation in the studio
  • be able to create musical works in the studio using both improvisation and the possibilities of the sound studio
  • show the ability to reflect on artistic questions related to working in a studio as an intuitively creative musician
  • be able to give and receive feedback on their own work and the work of fellow students

Overview

The group will be presented with relevant musical works and must participate in a discussion of these works. Throughout the semester, students will be presented with selected tools and easy exercises on how to use them.

Students work with their own musical pieces. These pieces, and the process around them, like artistic questions, must be shared with the rest of the group.

Structure

Classes are 90 minutes a week. Each student is also given 120 minutes of individual guidance.

Course requirements

Students must present two of their own musical pieces for the group, and give feedback to the other students’ pieces.

Final assessment

All course requirements must be approved prior to obtaining a final assessment.

The final assessment is expressed as pass/fail and is determined based on an individual evaluation of the student's academic level on two submitted works. The assessment is conducted by the instructor.

Take-home exam

Students must submit two larger, thoroughly prepared works for assessment. Students are expected to work with the pieces throughout the semester.

New assessment

In the case of re-assessment, the same procedures apply.

Study component

Published: Apr 3, 2020 — Last updated: Apr 7, 2024